Horikita Suzune's Confused Thoughts? Transferring Classes? Dropping Out! Akiyama Shin's Priority!

The night deepened, and in the shadows behind the school building, the atmosphere felt somewhat stagnant.

Akiyama Shin watched Horikita Suzune, who was still caught in a daze of shock and embarrassment.

He had no intention of offering comfort or explanation.

For him, the purpose of this excursion had already been achieved.

First.

To bare his fangs and talents to Horikita Manabu, making it clear that he was not just some ordinary freshman who could be easily manipulated.

This laid the groundwork for future transactions or gambits.

Second.

And this was the primary objective.

He had successfully fleeced the student council president for two million points, padding his own treasury.

As for how Horikita Suzune felt at this moment, or whether she had been dealt a blow, that was not within his scope of priority.

He had promised to protect her, but this protection was by no means a nanny-like service that attended to every detail; it was more of an investment based on value and a limited responsibility.

For someone like Horikita Suzune, who was overconfident and somewhat rigid in her thinking, only appropriate setbacks and the need to digest her emotions alone could serve as guidance and tempering.

If she could not even overcome this minor setback on her own, then she was not worth him investing more energy into.

Thus, Akiyama Shin left without a shred of lingering attachment, not even sparing a second glance at Horikita Suzune, who stood rooted to the spot with a shifting expression, as he turned and began walking straight back to the dormitory.

"Wait!"

Horikita Suzune's voice came from behind, carrying a hint of urgency and the ragged, unsettled breath she had yet to calm.

Akiyama Shin did not stop his pace, merely slowing it down slightly.

Horikita Suzune hurried to catch up with Akiyama Shin, walking side-by-side with him. After a few seconds of silence, she finally couldn't help but ask the question weighing on her mind.

"How... exactly did you find this place?"

Her tone was filled with confusion, laced with a hint of indescribable, complex emotion.

Has he been watching me in secret this whole time?

Or perhaps...

Was my behavior really that obvious? Did he deduce everything just from my slight reactions back in the dorm?

And besides... that line he said when he appeared...

Something about protecting Suzune-chan... it sounds so... so embarrassing!

But what made Horikita Suzune feel even more mortified was that she had just subconsciously used Akiyama Shin as an example to refute her brother, trying to prove that Class D wasn't entirely filled with incompetent people...

Didn't that amount to a tacit admission that, in Horikita Suzune's heart, Akiyama Shin was already a figure strong enough to serve as a benchmark?

While Horikita Suzune did indeed acknowledge Akiyama Shin's abilities internally, she had never intended to express it so bluntly, especially not in front of the person himself, to be heard with his own ears—it was just too awkward!

Akiyama Shin glanced at her from the side, taking in the expression on her face, which was a mix of curiosity, shyness, and a trace of vexation.

His tone was flat, devoid of any discernible emotion, as if he were merely stating an obvious fact.

"You were too obvious back in the dorm."

Upon hearing this, Horikita Suzune's cheeks flushed even redder, and she averted her gaze in embarrassment.

As expected... he saw right through me.

I had clearly tried my best to hide it, yet I never imagined I still couldn't escape those eyes of his...

She bit her lip, not pressing for further details.

At this point, dwelling on exactly how obvious she had been would only make her feel even more ashamed.

She let out a soft sigh, suppressing the turbulent thoughts in her mind for the time being, and silently quickened her pace, walking alongside Akiyama Shin toward the dormitory building.

The streetlights stretched their shadows, weaving them together before pulling them apart.

The entire way, neither spoke a word.

Returning to the dormitory building, after the elevator arrived and she exchanged a brief farewell with Horikita Suzune, Akiyama Shin returned to his own room.

Closing the door and shutting out the noise of the outside world, the room returned to its state of extreme tidiness and tranquility.

Only a faint, lingering scent of the Chinese cuisine from dinner remained in the air.

He had just sat down at his desk, preparing to collect his thoughts, when his terminal vibrated again.

It was a message from Kushida Kikyo.

[Kushida Kikyo]: Hey... tonight... can I come over?

Akiyama Shin looked at this direct and simple message, his eyes showing no surprise.

He naturally understood Kushida Kikyo's current state of mind.

As a normal person, at this age of surging adolescent hormones, having experienced the intense physiological and psychological impact of an intimate relationship for the first time, it was only natural to develop an obsession and dependency on it.

Especially for someone like Kushida Kikyo, who has long suppressed her inner self and is in desperate need of an outlet and a sense of belonging.

This attraction, stemming from instinct, and the temporary sense of belonging she gained, made it all the easier for her to become addicted.

He did not hesitate and sent a simple reply.

[Akiyama Shin]: ok

On the sixth floor, inside a room in the girls' dormitory.

Kushida Kikyo stared at the reply on her screen, which was so brief it bordered on cold, and was stunned for a moment before pouting and cursing.

"That jerk! Always acting so aloof! He couldn't even be bothered to type a few more words!"

However.

Despite her cursing, the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily, and a glimmer of anticipation and eagerness flashed in her eyes.

"Hmph! Just wait until I have you wrapped around my finger tonight!"

She put down her terminal and began to fix her hair and clothes in front of the mirror, her heart beating a little faster for no apparent reason.

Inside Room 501.

After replying to the message, Akiyama Shin got up and went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

The warm water washed away the fatigue of the day and helped clear his mind.

He changed into a pair of loose lounge shorts, leaving his upper body bare, with a dry towel draped casually over his still-damp black hair.

He walked over to the chair by the window and sat down. He didn't turn on the main light, leaving only a dim reading lamp on, waiting for his visitor to arrive in the quiet of the night.

During this brief moment of solitude, his brain did not stop working as he began to think about his upcoming plans.

The private points he currently held, combined with the 2 million he had just received from Horikita Manabu, had reached over 4.79 million. This was a massive fortune that needed to be utilized wisely.

Chabashira Sae had said that points could buy anything at this school; behind this vague definition, there must be certain privileges that exceeded the norm.

For example... transferring classes? Or... offsetting an expulsion?

The transfer was naturally something Hoshinomiya Chie had brought up when Chabashira Sae had called Akiyama Shin to the office.

Although it was unclear how many points a transfer would require, Akiyama Shin had ruled this option out from the very beginning.

Since he had promised Chabashira Sae that he would lead Class D to Class A, transferring halfway through would be tantamount to breaking his word, and it did not align with Akiyama Shin's plan to conquer this academy.

As for expulsion... this might be the key.

If a student were truly facing the crisis of expulsion, could they be redeemed with a massive amount of points?

If so, what would that amount be?

This was equivalent to a trump card for survival.

His priority was naturally his own safety, followed by the talented individuals in his class who possessed potential and were worth investing in.

Even Horikita Suzune, who appeared to be the most valuable at this stage, and Kushida Kikyo, with whom he had already established a special connection, did not hold the highest priority in the face of Akiyama Shin's allocation of absolute resources.

However, given their abilities and personalities, as long as they didn't actively cross the school's red lines or get involved in uncontrollable, malicious incidents, the risk of them being expelled was actually quite low.

Horikita Suzune was inherently orderly; although stubborn, she wouldn't be foolish enough to challenge the rules.

But Kushida Kikyo...

Thinking of Kushida Kikyo, Akiyama Shin's gaze narrowed.

She was an unstable factor.

The negative emotions suppressed within her and that latent desire for destruction were like a ticking time bomb.

Although she had developed a preliminary sense of dependence on Akiyama Shin due to last night's special punishment and subsequent developments, it remained unknown how long this dependence would last and whether it would be enough to suppress her inner darkness.

However, since she had already become Akiyama Shin's first woman, for the sake of reason and sentiment, Akiyama Shin would not easily let her come to harm; he would use his resources to protect her if necessary.

Just as his thoughts were surging, a soft knock on the door interrupted his contemplation.

Knock, knock, knock.

The rhythm carried a hint of imperceptible urgency.

Akiyama Shin slowly stood up, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

Standing outside was Kushida Kikyo.

She seemed to have dressed up carefully, her smooth, golden-brown shoulder-length hair making her face look even more adorable.

Her light purple eyes shimmered with a bright luster under the illumination of the hallway lights.

However, when Kushida Kikyo saw Akiyama Shin wearing only a pair of shorts, his muscular upper body bare, and his hair still slightly damp, two clouds of red instantly flew across her face.

"You... why did you open the door like this!"

She whispered a playful rebuke, but her movements were anything but slow. Almost as soon as the words left her lips, she reached out and shoved Akiyama Shin back into the room with force, nimbly slipping in after him and clicking the door shut behind her.

Once inside, Kushida Kikyo looked up at Akiyama Shin, who was standing mere inches away, her heart hammering like a drum.

She took a deep breath, rose onto her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Akiyama Shin's neck, and pressed her soft lips against his.

Mm...!

It was a kiss that carried a hint of recklessness and inexperience.

Yet, it was incredibly passionate.

Akiyama Shin was slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected Kushida Kikyo to be so impatient, but he responded naturally a moment later.

A long while passed, until both of them were breathless, before Kushida Kikyo pulled back slightly.

As their lips parted, a thin, suggestive thread of saliva stretched between them.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes hazy as she looked up at Akiyama Shin, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

Watching the girl in his arms look so bold yet so shy, Akiyama Shin felt a rare, distinct smile tug at the corners of his usually expressionless face, for reasons unknown even to him.

This smile was different from his usual cold demeanor; it held a touch of genuine pleasure.

Kushida Kikyo was left dazed by the sight of this smile.

However, the next second, she felt the world spin.

"Ah!"

Akiyama Shin suddenly bent down and effortlessly scooped her up horizontally.

Then, as if carrying a sack of grain, he hoisted her lithe body onto his broad shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing! Put me down!"

Kushida Kikyo was both embarrassed and anxious, waving her small fists to beat against Akiyama Shin's back, but those powerful arms were like iron bands, unmoving.

Akiyama Shin ignored her powerless protests, carried her to the bedside in a few strides, and then, as if discarding an object, tossed her onto the soft, tidy bed with little gentleness.

Thump.

Kushida Kikyo sank into the soft quilt. Before she could even complain, Akiyama Shin leaned over, bracing his hands on either side of her body, trapping her between the bed and himself.

His dark red pupils were as deep as whirlpools in the dim light, locking onto her firmly.

Lying on the familiar bed, Kushida Kikyo caught the scent of Akiyama Shin—a clean, crisp fragrance that was uniquely his, one that made her feel both safe and stirred.

She couldn't help but mutter a small complaint, trying to use words to mask her inner panic and her racing heart.

"At first... I thought you were wearing some high-end cologne..."

"Turns out you just have a natural scent?"

Akiyama Shin was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, but then the smile on his face deepened. He had never really noticed any special scent on himself.

"Perhaps."

He replied in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of laziness.

Their eyes met.

A silent tension filled the air.

Kushida Kikyo looked at his handsome face so close to hers, feeling the scorching body heat radiating from him and that pleasant scent. Her earlier minor dissatisfaction and complaints had long since vanished, leaving only her accelerating heartbeat and her gradually unfocused eyes.

Akiyama Shin stopped speaking, simply staring back at her in silence.

As the night deepened, the lights in Room 501 were quietly extinguished.

The night passed in silence.

Deep in the night, in the shadows behind the school building, the atmosphere was somewhat stagnant.

Akiyama Shin watched Horikita Suzune, who was still reeling from shock and humiliation.

He had no intention of offering comfort or explanation.

For him, the purpose of this outing had already been achieved.

First.

To bare his fangs and talent to Horikita Manabu, making it clear that he was not some ordinary freshman who could be easily manipulated.

This laid the groundwork for future trades or power struggles.

Second.

And most importantly.

He had successfully fleeced two million points from the student council president, padding his own treasury.

As for Horikita Suzune's current mood or whether she had been dealt a blow, that was not among his priorities.

He had promised to protect her, but this protection was by no means a nanny-like service that covered every detail; it was more of an investment based on value and limited responsibility.

For someone like Horikita Suzune, who was overconfident and somewhat rigid in her thinking, only appropriate setbacks and the need to process her emotions alone would serve as guidance and tempering.

If she couldn't even overcome this small setback on her own, then she wasn't worth any more of his energy.

Akiyama Shin felt no attachment, not even sparing a glance at Horikita Suzune, who stood rooted to the spot with a shifting expression on her face. He turned and strode away, intending to head straight back to the dormitory.

"Wait!"

Horikita Suzune's voice came from behind, carrying a hint of urgency and a breathlessness she had yet to calm.

Akiyama Shin did not stop, though his pace slowed just a fraction.

Horikita Suzune hurried to catch up, walking side-by-side with him. After a few seconds of silence, she finally couldn't help but voice the question weighing on her mind.

"How... exactly did you find this place?"

Her tone was filled with bewilderment, laced with an indescribable, complex emotion.

Has he been watching me from the shadows all this time?

Or perhaps...

Was my behavior really that obvious? Did he deduce everything just from my slight reactions back at the dorm?

And... that thing he said when he appeared...

Something about protecting Suzune-chan... it sounds so... so embarrassing!

But what made Horikita Suzune feel even more mortified was that she had just instinctively used Akiyama Shin as an example in front of her brother to refute him, trying to prove that Class D wasn't entirely filled with incompetents...

Didn't that implicitly admit that, in Horikita Suzune's heart, Akiyama Shin was already strong enough to serve as a benchmark?

While Horikita Suzune did indeed acknowledge Akiyama Shin's ability, she had never intended to express it so bluntly—especially not with the person himself present to hear it. It was just too awkward!

Akiyama Shin glanced at her from the side, taking in the expression on her face, which was a mixture of curiosity, shyness, and a trace of vexation.

His tone was flat, devoid of any discernible emotion, as if he were merely stating an obvious fact.

"You were too obvious back at the dorm."

Upon hearing this, Horikita Suzune's cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red, and she averted her gaze in embarrassment.

As expected... he saw right through me, didn't he?

I tried so hard to hide it, yet I still couldn't escape those eyes of his...

She pursed her lips, choosing not to press for details.

At this point, dwelling on how obvious she had been would only make her feel even more ashamed.

She let out a soft sigh, suppressing the turbulent thoughts in her mind, and silently quickened her pace, walking alongside Akiyama Shin toward the dormitory building.

The streetlights stretched their shadows, weaving them together before pulling them apart.

The journey was silent.

Back at the dormitory building, after the elevator arrived, Akiyama Shin exchanged a brief farewell with Horikita Suzune and returned to his room.

Closing the door and shutting out the noise of the outside world, the room returned to its state of absolute tidiness and tranquility.

Only a faint lingering scent of the Chinese cuisine from dinner remained in the air.

He had just sat down at his desk, preparing to collect his thoughts, when his terminal vibrated again.

It was a message from Kushida Kikyo.

[Kushida Kikyo]: Hey... tonight... can I come over?

Akiyama Shin looked at the blunt and simple message, his eyes showing no surprise.

He understood Kushida Kikyo's current state of mind perfectly.

For a normal person at this age, with hormones surging during puberty, experiencing the intense physical and psychological impact of intimacy for the first time, it was only natural to feel infatuated and dependent.

Especially for someone like Kushida Kikyo, who had long suppressed her inner self and was in desperate need of an outlet and a sense of belonging.

This instinctive attraction and the temporary sense of security she had gained made it all the easier for her to sink into it.

He did not hesitate and sent a simple reply.

[Akiyama Shin]: ok

On the sixth floor, inside a room in the girls' dormitory.

Kushida Kikyo stared at the reply on her screen, which was so brief it bordered on cold, and was stunned for a moment before pouting and cursing.

"That jerk! Always acting so aloof! He couldn't even be bothered to type more than one word!"

However.

Despite her grumbling, the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily, and a look of anticipation and eagerness flashed in her eyes.

"Hmph! Just wait until I have you wrapped around my finger tonight!"

She put down her terminal and began to fix her hair and clothes in the mirror, her heart beating a little faster for no apparent reason.

Inside Room 501.

After replying to the message, Akiyama Shin got up and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.

The warm water washed away the fatigue of the day and helped clear his mind.

He changed into a pair of loose lounge shorts, leaving his upper body bare, and draped a dry towel casually over his still-damp black hair.

He walked over to the chair by the window and sat down, leaving the main lights off and keeping only a dim reading lamp on, waiting for his visitor in the quiet of the night.

During this brief moment of solitude, his brain did not stop working as he began to contemplate his next plans.

The personal points currently in his possession, combined with the 2 million he had just received from Horikita Manabu, had reached over 4.79 million—a massive fortune that needed to be utilized wisely.

Chabashira Sae had said that points could buy anything at this school, and behind this vague definition, there must surely be some privileges that transcended the norm.

For example... transferring classes? Or perhaps... offsetting an expulsion?

The idea of transferring classes had come up when Chabashira Sae called Akiyama Shin to the office, as Hoshinomiya Chie had brought it up.

Although it was unclear how many points a transfer would require, Akiyama Shin had ruled out this option from the very beginning.

Since he had promised Chabashira Sae that he would lead Class D to Class A, transferring halfway through would be tantamount to breaking his word, and it did not align with Akiyama Shin's plan to conquer this academy.

And expulsion... that might be the key.

If a student were truly facing the crisis of expulsion, could they be redeemed with a massive amount of points?

If so, what would that amount be?

This was equivalent to a trump card for survival.

His priority was naturally his own safety, followed by the talented individuals in his class who possessed potential and were worth investing in.

Even Horikita Suzune, who seemed the most valuable at this stage, and Kushida Kikyo, with whom he had already established a special connection, did not hold the highest priority in the face of Akiyama Shin's allocation of absolute resources.

However, given their abilities and personalities, as long as they did not actively cross the school's red lines or get involved in uncontrollable, malicious incidents, the risk of them being expelled was actually quite low.

Horikita Suzune was inherently orderly; although stubborn, she was not foolish enough to challenge the rules.

But Kushida Kikyo...

Thinking of Kushida Kikyo, Akiyama Shin's gaze narrowed slightly.

She was an unstable factor.

The negative emotions pent up inside her and that latent desire for destruction were like a ticking time bomb.

Although she had developed a preliminary sense of dependence on Akiyama Shin due to last night's special punishment and subsequent developments, how long this dependence would last, and whether it was enough to suppress the dark side of her heart, remained an unknown.

However, since she had already become Akiyama Shin's first woman, both out of sentiment and reason, Akiyama Shin would not easily let anything happen to her; he would use his resources to protect her if necessary.

Just as his thoughts were churning, a light knock on the door interrupted his contemplation.

Knock, knock, knock.

The rhythm carried a hint of imperceptible urgency.

Akiyama Shin stood up slowly, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

Standing outside was Kushida Kikyo.

She seemed to have dressed up carefully, her smooth, golden-brown shoulder-length hair making her face look even more adorable.

Her pale purple eyes shimmered with a bright light under the illumination of the hallway lamps.

However, when Kushida Kikyo saw Akiyama Shin wearing only a pair of large shorts, his muscular upper body bare, and his hair still slightly damp, two blushes instantly flew across her face.

"How... how could you open the door like this!"

She whispered a reproach, but her movements were not slow at all; almost as soon as the words left her lips, she reached out and pushed Akiyama Shin back into the room with force, nimbly slipping in after him and clicking the door shut behind her.

Upon entering the room, Kushida Kikyo looked up at Akiyama Shin, who was within arm's reach, her heart pounding like a drum.

She took a deep breath, stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Akiyama Shin's neck, and pressed her soft lips against his.

Mmph...!

A kiss that was somewhat forceful and inexperienced.

Yet, it was incredibly passionate.

Akiyama Shin was slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected Kushida Kikyo to be so impatient, but he immediately responded naturally.

After a long while, until both of them were breathing unevenly, Kushida Kikyo pulled back slightly.

As their lips parted, a thin, ambiguous silver thread stretched between them.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes hazy as she looked up at Akiyama Shin, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Watching the girl in his arms looking so bold yet shy, for some reason, a rare, clear smile curled onto Akiyama Shin's face, which was usually devoid of expression.

This smile was different from his usual coldness; it held a touch of authenticity, a sense of being pleased.

This smile left Kushida Kikyo looking somewhat dazed.

However, the next second, she felt the world spin.

"Ah!"

Akiyama Shin suddenly bent down and effortlessly scooped her up into his arms.

Then, as if he were carrying a sack of grain, he hoisted her lithe body onto his broad shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing! Put me down!"

Kushida Kikyo was both embarrassed and anxious, waving her small fists to pound on Akiyama Shin's back, but those powerful arms were like iron bands, not moving an inch.

Akiyama Shin ignored her non-threatening protests, carried her to the bedside in a few strides, and then, as if discarding some object, tossed her onto the soft, tidy bed with little gentleness.

Thud.

Kushida Kikyo sank into the soft quilt, and before she could even complain, Akiyama Shin had already leaned over, bracing his hands on either side of her body to trap her between the bed and himself.

His dark red pupils were as deep as whirlpools under the dim light, locking onto her firmly.

Kushida Kikyo lay on the familiar bed, her nose filled with that crisp, clean scent unique to Akiyama Shin, which made her feel both at ease and heart-fluttering.

She couldn't help but mutter a small remark, trying to use words to cover up the panic in her heart and her racing heartbeat.

"Originally... at the very beginning, I thought you were using some high-end perfume..."

"Turns out you just have a natural scent of your own?"

Akiyama Shin was taken aback upon hearing this, but then the smile on his face deepened slightly; he had never really noticed any special scent on himself.

"Perhaps."

He replied in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of laziness.

Their eyes met.

A silent tension permeated the air.

Kushida Kikyo looked at his handsome face so close to her own, feeling the scorching body heat radiating from him and that pleasant scent, and her earlier minor dissatisfaction and complaints had long since vanished, leaving only a quickened heartbeat and eyes that were gradually becoming unfocused.

Akiyama Shin said nothing more, just quietly meeting her gaze.

As the night grew deeper, the lights in Room 501 were quietly extinguished.

The night passed in silence.